Speaking Thursday at the National Right to Life Convention, the Republican governor is also linking the 1973 Supreme Court decision that legalized abortion nationwide with the court's June decision to allow same-sex marriages in all 50 states.

Jindal says the decisions are part of a concerted effort to discriminate against Christians.

Jindal's claims come as he looks to distinguish himself from more than a dozen other GOP White House hopefuls, who all describe themselves as abortion opponents and social conservatives.

Four of Jindal's GOP rivals are scheduled to speak the the convention Friday. They are Florida Sen. Marco Rubio, former Texas Gov. Rick Perry, former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum and retired neurosurgeon Ben Carson.